The Hero, the Sidekick, and the Brain
by Herbie
Summary: Harry takes some time to think about the group's friendship and what it really means to defy social convention.


The Hero, the Sidekick, and the Brain  
  
Harry Potter, age 23, stood next to his best friend, Ronald Weasley. Each of them was too wrapped up in their own thought to want to talk. At that particular moment, Harry was thinking about the infamous trio that they- himself, Ron, and Hermione- made up.  
  
Their friendship had begun twelve years ago, and had only strengthened over the years because of their adventures. Their adventures had put each of them into a neat little category. Hermione was the brain, Ron was the sidekick, and he was the hero. Each of them had responsibilities to the group to ensure success on every adventure. Together, they formed a well- oiled machine without flaws.  
  
As the brain, Hermione made sure they all did their homework well, passed every exam, and forced them to study for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. And as they got older, Hermione could generally contribute a helpful, female perspective on the boys' relationships. But more importantly, Hermione did the research. When they had needed to know who Nicholas Flamel was, or whether beasts like Buckbeak had ever been spared from death, Hermione had gone to the library and found out. When he received his Firebolt their third year, Hermione had possessed the good sense to make sure it wasn't cursed, or hexed, or bewitched. In their fourth year, when he needed to learn some useful spells to help him through the hedge maze or how to breathe under water, Hermione had gone through every possibly helpful book the school had to offer. Hermione had the hardest job of them all, but it was what she loved to do.  
  
His job was easy: face the bad guy, save the world, and get the girl. He had made Ron help him save Hermione from the troll their first year; stopped Professor Quirrell; faced down Dementors and other large (and small) creatures; and faced Voldemort countless times. And every time he stopped evil from running rampant, the media thought he would perform step three and get the girl: Hermione. The whole wizarding world had been waiting for Harry and Hermione since Rita Skeeter had run all those articles their fourth year. But the wizarding world hadn't counted on Ron.  
  
Ron had broken the boundaries of conformity for sidekicks everywhere. Of course Ron had done the customary sidekick jobs, like when he risked his own life for Harry's during their third year. Ron had stood up on a broken leg and told a convicted murderer that both he and Hermione would die before they let Harry do the same. Ron had also preformed the duty of keeping the hero in high spirits through laughter, chess, and Quidditch. But Harry always lost to Ron at chess, an idea well off the beaten path. But even worse than making the hero lose a game, Ron made Harry lose the GIRL.  
  
The very idea had boggled the minds of witches and wizards (but especially witches) worldwide. Ronald Weasley, a respectable, Pure-blooded wizard from a good family, had defied convention. But instead of accepting the idea, people began forming theories. The theories became rumors, and the rumors spread like a wildfire through dry pine needles. The first and foremost of these was that Hermione must not really be THE girl after all. But Harry just laughed at the idea. And as the music began, and Hermione began to walk down the aisle with her father, Harry had but on thought.  
  
"Ron may have defied convention, but that's what he was willing to do for love. And Ron and Hermione are definitely in love. So no matter how many people are unhappy, the sidekick loved the brain, and it wasn't the hero's place to get in the way. Besides, the sidekick deserves her more."  
  
END  
  
A/N: I wrote this in 1 hr. 20 min. last night, and I had a couple of friends read it today. I hope you enjoy this!  
  
Please read my story "Misunderstood." It's a R/Hr fic, but no one is reading it. It's very upsetting.  
  
I'm working on a D/Hr fic too, do to a really really ridiculously random idea I got about 11:30 Friday night, but I'm trying to make the first chapter somewhat long.silly me.  
  
Go read the stuff by Foags. Its good stuff!  
  
Reviewing brings good karma and more chapters (for other stories). 


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